Torments of Hoenn
by fooboo24
Summary: "I-I can't do this anymore, Silver," she barely managed to choke out as the rain drenched her body. Shivering and crying, she slowly placed the ruby necklace back into his hand, "I just... can't." Sequel to "Days in Ecruteak". OC/Silver/Lyra/Ethan.
1. The First Few Steps Downwards

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokemon.

**Author's Notes:** This is a sequel to my other story _Days in Ecruteak_. I'm not saying that you have to read the first one first, but this may make a little more sense if you do! Also, this story is in multiple chapters instead of just one big looooooong one-shot. I thought I'd spare the readers of this at least that much.

**Summary:** Lyra and Silver's new relationship together has been difficult, but they've made it work. But will they be able to make it through their newest two challenges... and still make it out as a couple, or as nothing but jilted lovers and renewed rivals again?

**Pairing(s):** Lyra/Silver, Lyra/Ethan, OC/Silver/Lyra/Ethan (love square!) *cue insane cackle*

* * *

_**Chapter 1 -** The First Few Steps Downwards_

* * *

"Oh, where is she?" Ethan complained to himself, checking his watch. The S.S. Tidal had been scheduled to land in Lilycove City at 5:00 P.M., and it was now 6:30, and it was not like he was just going to leave her and go off! "Okay, let's backtrack here… she got on the S.S. Anne in Olivine, which went to Vermilion City and docked two days ago, and then she got on the S.S. Tidal and… she should be here by now!" he threw his hands up into the air, exasperated. Looks like he was going to have to spend another night here and just wait.

He stopped pacing the docking station, sighed, and shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling at the little wrapped gift that he had gotten Lyra for her sixteenth birthday, before stomping off back to his hotel for the evening.

* * *

"Oh, Silver, look!" Lyra shouted at her boyfriend, jumping up and down and pointing to the little coastline that was Lilycove Beach. Her ruby necklace glittered as she did so. She had barely taken it off since that one fateful night in Ecruteak. "It's Lilycove! It's Lilycove!" She turned around, but he was nowhere to be found. "Silver?"

Suddenly, she felt two hands grip her shoulders gently from behind, and she looked up to see him. "Here I am," he said with a smile. He wrapped his arms around her. "Now what were calling me for?" He silently admired how gorgeous she looked in the red and pink evening light.

She turned in his arms and wrapped her own around his neck as he pressed her up again the S.S. Tidal's railings. "We're almost there," she smiled back at him.

"Good," he sighed heavily. "I'm sick and tired of being on boats. I've discovered that I have a serious intolerance for water."

She laughed, and he pulled her closer. "You look really cute right now, you know that?" she whispered after a second, and began playing with little strands of his red hair.

He blushed brightly. "Lyra, don't say stuff like that."

"Why, you embarrassed?" she smiled teasingly.

"We don't want the world to know that the Champion of Kanto and Johto is dating a reject like me, now do we?" he said, smiling sadly.

"Now _you _don't say stuff like _that_!" she swatted his arm. "Silver, that's not funny! Why would you even say something like that? I don't care if the world knows I'm dating you, in fact I want everyone to know I'm in a relationship sooner rather than later. And you are not a reject, so don't even _think _that about yourself," she lectured sternly. She was quite aware of how Silver thought of himself, and she had been helping him to change that ever since they had gotten together.

He sighed again. "Okay, dear," he mumbled sarcastically.

She cocked a suspicious eyebrow at him. "What was that now?" She crossed her arms accusingly.

"Nothing," he looked away.

"I have my ways to make you confess, you know," she said with a serious voice, though the hint of playfulness in it was clear.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Oh, do you?"

She said nothing after that. Placing her arms around his neck again and tightening her hold on him, she forced his face to smash into hers in a heated kiss. He smiled against her face as he kissed her back. "Now that's the way the Lyra I know would do it." He then shut himself up by joining himself wholly in the kiss.

* * *

Ethan swung open the front door of the Golden Raichu Inn, grumbling to himself in the process. "Stupid boat… all late… and-" he was interrupted when a sharp, loud whistle was blown. He stared back in the direction where it was coming from - the docks. What he saw did not impress him. The S.S. Tidal, of which was now almost two hours late, was now finally coming to the dock - and just after he walked halfway across the city to go back to his hotel! Of all of his unlucky timing, now was probably the worst, considering he was exhausted, and now he had to go and run back.

And so, Ethan turned around, exhaled loudly, and began to jog back to that dreaded dock.

* * *

"Hello, everyone!" shouted Captain Briney over the loudspeaker. "We are now preparing to dock. I suggest you all get your things from your rooms and prepare, as well. That is all."

Lyra reluctantly pulled away from Silver. "What are you doing?" he muttered, annoyed that she had just stopped.

"We need to get our stuff, if you were listening," she explained. She walked down the long stretch to their room. "Silver, c'mon, we've gotta pack," she waggled a finger at him when he didn't come, "seriously, we have to go."

"Make me," he said with suggestive smile.

"Oh, this again?"

"Yes."

"Well, then I will," and she marched straight up to him and kissed him once again.

"That's better," he said after she was done, and the comment sent her blushing madly at him. "But I still think I need some more convincing to move."

"Fine then," she kissed him again, this time with more vigour.

"Still no-" he was cut off by an irritated Lyra.

"Oh, just shut up and kiss me already," she balled his jacket up in her fists, and gently forced her lips upon his again in yet another kiss.

* * *

Ethan ran down the steps to the dock, where small bunches of people were waiting for their own relatives and friends. He pushed his way through the crowds, making sure that he was the very first person at the front of the dock. The boat was just pulling in, and he excitedly looked up to see if he could see Lyra at all. And there she was! He was ecstatic! He began to wave madly at her, trying to get her attention.

But she didn't move. He wondered why, and so sauntered a little more to the right to see if he could get a better look of what she was so immersed in. And then he saw it. She was kissing some familiar looking guy. He felt jealousy begin to burn deep within him. Who was this random dude? And why hadn't Lyra called and told him!

_Whatever, it can't be too serious, I can still win her over,_ he told himself confidently, though he still couldn't help but feel a little torn up about it.

The S.S. Tidal slammed into the docking station, blew its huge horn three times, and then the path for the passengers to get off was thrown onto the wharf's wooden slats. Ethan stood off to the side, letting everyone exit the large ship, and reunite with their loved ones. He waited rather impatiently for his own friend, and finally he saw her unusually big red and white hat, and had to calm himself once again. It had just been so long since he had last seen her; she was his best friend!

* * *

Lyra grabbed Silver's hand and began to yank him down the ladder and off the boat. "Okay, okay, I'm coming," he said with a laugh. He hiked his bag further up on his shoulder and they both walked off together, hand-in-hand. Almost instantaneously, following an instinct, Lyra turned her head, and there was Ethan, standing their, looking off into the distance, his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Ethan!" she shouted at the tops of her lungs, bolting down the ramp and to her best friend. Silver, caught off guard by this, almost fell over, but regained his balance. She ran right up to Ethan and locked him in a tight hug. "Oh my Gosh, I missed you so much!" She hugged him tighter, and then released him. "How have you been?"

His face was still burning up from the abrupt hug, and he managed, stuttering, "H-hi."

Once again, Lyra couldn't hold her excitement in. "It's just so good to see you!" And with that, she hugged him again.

"It's great to see you, too, Lyra," he hugged her back, smiling sheepishly.

He then saw an unfamiliar, but at the same time familiar, face, approaching both of them, a sullen look implanted on it. And then it hit him. "Lyra!" Ethan jumped out in front of her, swinging his arms out as if to protect her. "Watch out! It's that red-haired creep that stole Professor Elm's Totodile!"

Silver dropped his bag loudly onto the ground, crossing his arms. "Excuse me?"

"Y-you-" Ethan was cut off by Lyra. He actually went as far as to motion to his belt, where all six of his Pokeballs were all sitting, all the Pokemon ready for a battle.

"Ethan," she stepped out from behind him. "It's okay."

"Bu-but…" he trailed helplessly.

"Lyra, would you please explain to me who this… unwelcome… visitor is?" Silver narrowed his eyes at Ethan, who did it right back.

"Hey!" he tried to defend himself.

Lyra sighed and walked over to Silver and smiled between the both of them. "Ethan, this is Silver. Silver, this is Ethan."

Silver gave the scrawnier boy a condescending look up and down before turning away completely.

"Silver," Lyra nudged him in the ribcage.

"Fine," he gave her an annoyed look. "Hello, E-_than_."

"Hi," Ethan waved half-heartedly. He gave Lyra a look. "Ly, who is this guy, exactly? Why is he here?" He still hadn't managed to piece together the puzzle quite yet.

"Silver's my boyfriend, Ethan," Lyra explained. She didn't notice the flash of hurt on the young boy's face.

"Wh-what?" he blinked incredulously. "_Him_?" So that was who she was kissing on the boat, of all people!

Lyra couldn't help but think back to when she had to explain her feelings for Silver to Naoko. She had said the exact same thing!

"Yes, _me_," Silver looked offended. "Is there a problem with that?"

"I-I just…" Lyra gave Ethan a look that said 'what's up with you?' He figured he should just shut his mouth before he said something that he would really regret. "Uh, nothing."

"Okay, then, let's go," Lyra bent down to pick up her bag (of which Silver had dropped with his own), and began to hastily march off down the pier.

"Wait up," Silver grabbed her shoulder. "I still don't know who _he _is."

"Ethan? Well, he's my friend," Lyra smiled awkwardly at both of them. She had figured something like this was going to happen - she didn't tell either of them about the other. But she really didn't want to get into an in-depth explanation right then. She was tired and she just wanted to go to bed that night on solid ground. She'd explain it all in the morning!

Silver raised his eyebrows sceptically at her rushed answer. Were they _just _friends?

"Yeah, her best friend, since we were 3 years old," Ethan stated. He looked cocky as he said this.

Silver gave him a look, before picking up his own bag, and starting off down the dock, leaving Lyra and Ethan behind without saying a final parting word. Yeah, he was pissed. Of _course_ he was. Lyra hadn't told him anything about this loser!

Lyra just sighed. She really hadn't thought this one out. She began to walk off in the direction her boyfriend had gone, with Ethan hollering out at her to slow down and wait up for him.

* * *

"Why didn't you just tell me!" Silver slammed the door to his and Lyra's room.

"It's not that big of a deal, Silver!" she fought back.

"How would you know?" he yelled in her face, though he tried to suppress his true underlying rage of the current situation.

"Silver, why do you care so much about it? I mean, it's not that bad," Lyra tried to reason with him. Though her inner self was agreeing with him. It wasn't fair that she hadn't told him earlier. Now she just had to get one more _teeny little _thing past him. "He's just going to be travelling with us a bit, that's all." She whispered this last part - seeing if maybe she could sneak it into the conversation without him noticing.

He turned around to face her, after brooding out the window a minute before. He was now seething. "What did you just say?"

"He's coming with us, Silver, to travel around Hoenn," Lyra explained. "You can't blame me on this one, Silv. What happened with us in Ecruteak… I didn't ever expect _that_ to happen. I couldn't have planned ahead for any of this, so don't go off raving that this is all my fault!"

"But what prevented you from telling me about him when we were on the boat?" Silver questioned, calming down slightly.

"Why are you acting defensive all of a sudden?" she countered. "Normally you would have just gone off for a little while and vented… what's going on with you?"

They stared directly into each others' eyes, before Silver looked to ground and mumbled, "N-nothing."

"You can tell me, and you know that," she walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"…" He was perfectly silent.

"Silver…"

"I know."

"Then what is it?"

"You wouldn't understand." She was once again reminded of her confession to Naoko.

"I think I may, if you tell me."

"…" Again the room was eerily quiet.

"Silver!"

"Okay! I… am I getting in the middle of something with you and Ethan? Because if I am… I can leave, if... if you want," he gave her a sad side-glance - he knew what it felt like to be left alone, to be second best. He was _used_ to it, to say the least.

She didn't want to laugh at that, but she couldn't help but do it anyway. She knew he was vulnerable, but she just couldn't hold it in. He gave her a look of hurt. "And you find this funny?"

"Silver, we _are_ just friends. We've never been more than that, and we never will. You're the one I like, not him," and with that, she leaned up and kissed him softly. "And there's some reassurance for you."

He smiled at her. "I believe you." But he still couldn't help but feel a little tugging at the bottom of his heart.

* * *

_Chapter 1, done!_

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Okay, so this is chapter 1 of… however many parts. I have decided to split this story up into chapters because that way it isn't an incredibly long, painful-to-read one-shot, more or less (more) like this one's predecessor was. So, hope you liked the first chapter! For _once_, the second one should actually be up soon.

_'Til next time!_

**Fooboo24 **


	2. Yet Another Crack in the Crystal

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Pokemon.

**Author's Notes:** Chapter two! I actually finished this chapter along with chapter one both on the same day, but I thought that I'd post this one a little after I finished chapter three. Well, chapter three is taking an incredibly long time to write (due to the lack of inspiration that I started this story with), and so I'm just posting this because I'm not going to finish chapter three for a while.

* * *

_**Chapter 2 -** Yet Another Crack in the Crystal_

* * *

The next morning was just plain, ole awkward. Even though Lyra and Silver had talked the night before, it ultimately hadn't helped all that much. Lyra pretty much ignored Silver the entire morning as she laughed and caught up with Ethan.

While the trio was walking down the street eating ice cream (more so Ethan and Lyra chatting in the front with Silver lagging behind a few metres), they were suddenly halted by a shrill scream.

"Agh! Leave me alone!" yelled a girl, running down the street with a Froslass and Ariados following closely behind her. Tagging not long behind was a freakishly large group of Murkrow and Honchkrow. She flapped her hands spastically at them, but they continued to chase her. "Go away!" she cried.

The townsfolk couldn't help her; they were too afraid of the raving Pokemon. "We've got to help her!" Lyra told Ethan and Silver. They nodded, pulling out their own respective Pokeballs.

"Go, Feraligatr!" yelled Silver. Out jumped the ferocious blue Pokemon, waving its tail round and round.

"You too, Meganium!" shouted Ethan.

"Let's do this, Typhlosion!" Lyra nodded at the two, and they began to run off into the direction in which the girl had run off to. After running a few blocks, they turned one final corner and saw her trapped in a dead-end, her Ariados fainted beside her from battling and her Froslass just about falling over.

"Honchkrow! Krow, krow, krow!" trilled the Honchkrow angrily at her. She screeched as they began to fly closer and closer to her.

"It's okay! We're here to help!" called Lyra, and she began shouting orders at Typhlosion, while the others followed suit.

"Eruption, Typhlosion, full force!" she commanded at him. It roared at her in acknowledgement, and then proceeded to flare up the flames on his back and shoot molten boulders and lava at the hoarding Murkrow. They cawed angrily at him, and went to attack. Lyra realized that there were too many even for the League-winning Typhlosion all to battle on his own.

"Hydro Pump!" she heard someone yell from her side, and turned to see it was none other than Silver. Feraligatr jumped high in the air, and then turned to face the Honchkrow and Murkrow, subsequently hosing them down with massive amounts of water. They were all drenched and soaked, and, though some of them still wanted to fight, they all flew off.

The girl was sitting on the ground now, crying slightly. "Hey, it's okay," whispered Silver uncharacteristically to her.

She stopped crying, and then swung her head up. "Wait," she said quietly. "Silver?"

He blinked at her, and then it hit him like a ton of bricks. "T-Tesla?"

"Yes!" she jumped up excitedly, grabbing him in a hug. "Oh my Arceus! I can't believe it's you!"

"Same!" he hugged her back, a huge, totally-out-of-character smile beaming on his face. As Lyra looked at the two hugging so close, she couldn't help but feel an uncomfortable spark of something in the pit of her stomach.

"Uh," she piped in. "Silver, um, who is this?"

He turned to her, his arm around this girl's shoulders, holding her close, and with a big smile still on his face, he began to explain to her, "This is my friend, Tesla."

The raven-haired girl smiled at Ethan and Lyra and waved. "Hi."

"Yeah, I got that much," Lyra said coolly, crossing her arms. "But you know each other… how, exactly?"

"Well, ya see," Silver turned to smile at Tesla again, which she returned. Again, the sinking pit feeling returned to Lyra's stomach. "We go waaaay back… like you and Ethan. She was my first real friend. We met when I was eleven years old in Viridian City, and ever since then, we've been friends! But she left one day-" He was cut off by Tesla.

"But one day I left without telling Silver. It was the stupidest thing I'd ever done, truthfully," she looked up into Silver's eyes at that, and they flashed something at him that he missed altogether. But, like Silver had seen with Ethan to Lyra, Lyra noticed it immediately. She saw attraction in that look that Tesla gave him.

"Well, at least introduce me to your friends here, Silver," she said cheerfully. It sickened Lyra.

"Uh," Silver began awkwardly, motioning his hand towards the two. "This is Lyra, my girlfriend… and Ethan, _Lyra's _friend." Lyra herself gave him a look for his choice of words.

Tesla eyebrows raised at the mention of Lyra's status to Silver. "Oh," she said, her feigned cheeriness from before fading away. She gave Lyra a condescending look that Silver missed once again. "You're his girlfriend."

"Yeah, I am," Lyra spoke confidently, arms akimbo.

"Well, you're… cute, I guess," she flicked her hand at the brunette, as though she were dismissing her to go off and leave them alone or something. She then hung herself on Silver's arm, leering at him. Again, he seemed to do everything _but_ notice. "So, what brings you to Hoenn?"

"Lyra and I were going to travel," he explained, looking as smitten as could be as he stared at Tesla.

"Hey, what about me?" Ethan squeaked up from the side. Everyone just ignored him.

"Is that so? Well, tell me all about it and then I'll tell you why I'm here. Oh! I know! Let's go to this darling little diner I found on the outskirts of town! We can talk there…" And with that, she and Silver began to saunter off out of the little alleyway, leaving a thoroughly peeved Lyra and a confused Ethan standing there.

* * *

"So, why are you here, Tes?" Silver asked Tesla as he grabbed their drinks off of the counter and began to walk over to their table.

"Same reason as you. And with the Murkrow… I was just trying to catch one. But it seems they didn't really like that idea," she replied airily while laughing to herself, waving her hands about. Lyra rolled her eyes at the hypocritical girl, and then she got up to go her and Ethan's drinks, which Silver had forgotten.

"Thanks, Silver," she mumbled sarcastically at him, but he made no movement to express any acknowledgement. He was too engrossed in Tesla's annoying voice. She rolled her eyes again and got the drinks, proceeding back to the table a moment later.

She slammed both drinks on the table, scaring Ethan a bit. "Anything wrong, Lyra?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing," she looked directly at Silver and Tesla as she said this, eyes glinting dangerously. Ethan followed her eyes, but said nothing in return, deciding it would be better to keep quiet.

An hour passed as Silver and Tesla talked on and on, until Lyra grumbled out loud. "Well, that's rude," Tesla murmured to herself under her breath. Lyra gave her a death-glare, before abruptly getting up and out of her chair, turning around to face the door.

"I think I'm just going to head back to the hotel. See you guys there," she waved passively at them before pushing the door open and walking out.

"Wait, Lyra!" Ethan jumped out of his chair and began to follow after her.

Silver looked up, concerned. "We should-"

Tesla cut him off. "I think they'll be fine without us. I think Lyra just wants some time alone." At the thought of Lyra and that dork Ethan being alone together, Silver tensed. He knew that Ethan had a thing for Lyra and that he wanted all time alone together he could get with her.

"Maybe I should go after them… just to see if Lyra's okay, she seems pretty upset," he said quickly. Tesla ran her hand up his arm slowly, throwing him into a state of confusion. This was wrong. He knew it was wrong. Yet he hadn't seen Tesla in such a long time, that he felt compelled to believe that Lyra would understand. And so he stayed with Tesla.

* * *

Lyra stomped down the stone path, tears ever-prominent in her eyes. _How could he do that to me?_ she wondered. Little did Lyra know that within only a few more days, things were going to get _that much more_ complicated for her.

"Hey, wait up, Lyra!" Ethan called after her. She looked back briefly, before swinging her head back around and walking off even faster. He was her best friend, but she just wanted to be alone right then.

"Just leave me alone, Ethan, please," she breathed shakily.

"But, I-"

"No!"

She slowed slightly, allowing Ethan to catch up. "Hey," he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Ethan…" she choked out.

"He shouldn't have ignored you like that." And with that, she began to cry into his arms. "Shh, shh, everything is going to go back to normal soon, I promise." She just sobbed harder. "Lyra," he said after a moment. She continued crying. He figured trying to reason with her was pointless, and she he simply wrapped his arms around her tighter and began to walk back to the hotel with her, the entire time telling her it would be okay.

* * *

Tesla and Silver came back _five_ hours later. Lyra had been fast asleep for all of them, and when Silver slipped back into their room, he was surprised not to find her there. Tesla, who, by "coincidence", was staying at the exact same hotel as them, just a floor down, had gone back to her own room for the night. Silver had promised he would go and see her again the next day.

Silver knew there was only one other place Lyra could be in that hotel. He slammed the door to their room, stomped down the hallway to a door a few down from his own, and flung it open. "Okay, loser, where is she?"

Ethan, who had been sitting on the bed next to where Lyra was sleeping, reading a book, sprung up at the sudden noise of the door being flung open. "You!" he whispered sharply at the redhead, "you shut it up! She's sleeping!"

"Why do you even have her in here?" Silver hissed at the boy.

"Because you left her to go and flirt with your childhood crush, that's why!"

"You have _no_ right to tell me that I was flirting with Tesla! I was just catching up with her; I haven't seen her in five years!"

"And I haven't seen Lyra in two!"

"Listen, you little punk, I know that you l-" Silver was interrupted when Lyra began to stir, and so he grabbed Ethan by the sleeve and pulled him out into the hallway. "As I was saying, I know that you like her, okay? But stay away, she's mine."

"Oh, is she _yours_?" Ethan narrowed his eyes at Silver.

"Yeah, she is."

"I'm sure she'd beg to differ. I know her better than you ever will - and she doesn't like to be labelled."

"Why, you-" Once again, Silver was cut off.

The door slowly opened, and a half-asleep Lyra popped out. "Hey, guys," she yawned. "What's going on out here?"

"Uh, nothing," Silver and Ethan answered in unison.

Lyra was too tired to really be aware of anything, and so was satisfied with this answer. She then opened the door a little more and began to meander down the hallway to her and Silver's room. Three doors down, she turned to them, said "good night" with a big, goofy, sleepy smile, and then stumbled into the doorway.

The two young men blinked in her direction for a second, both relieved that she hadn't heard what they had said about her.

After a moment, Silver glared at Ethan, and began to walk back to his room. His parting words, "Just stay away from her, and I think we'll be just fine."

"Just don't hurt her, and I think we'll be fine, too," Ethan threatened back, before returning to his own room.

* * *

_Chapter 2, finished!_

* * *

**Author's Notes: **And the love square begins! Mwhahaha!

_'Til next time!_

_**Fooboo24**_


	3. Rescue Me, and Hold Me In Your Arms!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Pokemon or the lyrics of the song that this chapter is named after.

**Author's Notes:** After posting chapter 2, I went directly to working on chapter 3. So, here it is!

* * *

_**Chapter 3 -** Rescue Me, and Hold Me In Your Arms!_

* * *

"Hello? C'mon, open up!" someone banged loudly on Silver and Lyra's door.

Lyra rolled over in Silver's arms, grumbling as she did so. At first, she had just thought it was housekeeping and that the maid would get the idea after a while and leave, but the person hadn't left. They had been at it for almost 15 minutes!

"Who the hell is it and what do they want?" Silver groaned, throwing a pillow over his head.

"I don't know, but I'm about to go and find out," Lyra groggily hopped out of their bed, stomping herself up to the door and flinging it open. What - or more so whom - she saw there didn't impress her… at all.

"Silver! Hi!" Tesla then realized who was standing there. "Oh, you," she crossed her arms and gave her a patronizing look up and down.

"What the hell do you want? It's 7:30 in the morning!" Lyra snapped.

"Ooh, fiesty!" teased Tesla cruelly. Lyra's face burned red with suppressed fury. "But that's beside the point. I came to see Silver, duh."

"Well, sorry, he's sleeping," Lyra crossed her own arms.

"Then wake him up, it's not that hard, genius. Even a Jigglypuff could do it!" scoffed Tesla.

Lyra said nothing in response, only slamming the door in the black-haired girl's face. When Tesla began to bang on the door again, Lyra screamed, "I'll get him!"

Silver flopped over to give her an irritated look. "Who was that?" he mumbled to her.

She scowled at him before grabbing some clean clothes from her bag. As she stamped to the bathroom, she, without even casting an angry glance at him, replied, "Your annoying-as-hell second half, that's who!" And with that, she slammed the bathroom door shut, effectively blocking herself from the other two.

Silver didn't even bother to move. He knew it was Tesla, and if she wanted in, she would invite herself in - it was inevitable. "Five, four, three… two, one," Silver counted down, and as expected, Tesla came marching in.

"Hiiiiiiii!" she chirped, radiating forced happiness. She pranced over to the window and threw open the curtains, sunlight pouring over the room and a grouchy Silver.

He grumbled something inaudible before throwing the sheets over his head. Tesla came over to his bed and began to shake him furiously.

"Arceus! What, Tesla?" he emerged from the sheets and propped himself up, waiting for an answer. All Tesla could focus on, though, was the fact that he was shirtless at the moment. She had never made her attraction to him more clear than at that moment.

"Wow, Silver," she plopped down on the bed next to him - a little too close for comfort for him, actually. She placed a hand on the blanket near his leg. "You look-" Tesla was cut off when Lyra came stomping out of the bathroom. She turned to look at them, gave them a disgusted look and tch-ed, and then left the room.

Silver looked at the door in which Lyra had left and then at Tesla, and by the look she was giving him, he knew he was getting in deeper and deeper trouble with his actual other half.

…Great.

* * *

"Truthfully, I think the sooner we leave, the better," Lyra told Ethan. They were at a restaurant not far from the hotel having breakfast.

"Agreed," Ethan said before taking a sip of orange juice.

They then heard the door chimes ring, and in stomped a throughly irritated Silver. "Where have you been?"

"Eating breakfast and discussing things," Lyra waved her hand dismissively at him. "Not much." She then looked around, curious as to where the annoying fourth addition was. "Where's Tesla?"

"I-" Silver paused and sat down beside her, and he stared deeply into her eyes. "I told her that I wanted to spend the day with you." He took her hands in his, and gently squeezed them, as if to reinforce that he truly meant what he was saying.

"Silver," Lyra's expression softened, and she smiled at him. Ethan observed the entire thing, jealousy boiling within him, sipping away greedily at the orange juice.

Silver tenderly placed a hand on Lyra's cheek, and they both leaned in to kiss each other, when Ethan slammed down his cup on the table, thoroughly surprising them. "Well, I'm done," he announced loudly, doing everything and anything possible to prevent them from kissing.

Silver glared, and Lyra managed an awkward, "Uh, good to know, Ethan."

Just as they were about to lean in again, they heard the door chime again and a gasp.

_Oh, for Arceus' sakes,_ Silver grumbled inwardly.

"Oh, hi, guys!" Tesla slid into the booth they were at. "I didn't know you were going to be at _this_ restaurant!" She was squashing Lyra against he wall as she tried to squeeze herself, Silver, and Lyra into just one seat, with Ethan on the other side.

"Uh, could you move over beside Ethan, Tesla?" Silver asked. "There's not quite enough room here."

She gave him a look before huffing and moving beside the cap-wearing boy, who moved as far away from her as possible. She started belting out orders to a nearby waiter, and Silver turned back to Lyra. "So what kinds of things were you guys talking about?"

"I want to leave soon, and Ethan thinks we should, too," she explained.

"But what about your birthday?" Silver questioned. Lyra's eyes brightened at his concern - and the fact that he had remembered.

"I… I can celebrate while we travel. It's fine with me," Lyra tried to make it seem as though it weren't all that big a deal to her.

"No, we should stay until your birthday. You deserve a proper one. It's only in three days, anyway. We can leave after that, okay?" Silver wrapped an arm around her. Lyra looked at Tesla, who was glowering fiercely at the couple. As much as she would have liked to of stay there in Lilycove for her birthday, she knew that Tesla would just ruin it for her, and she didn't want that.

"No, Silver. We should just leave tomorrow morning with Ethan and go," she settled sadly.

He sighed heavily, but knew that he wasn't going to change her mind. It was final. "Fine. But in that case, I'm going to need to go shopping."

"What for?" she raised an eyebrow at him.

He couldn't help but laugh at her expression. "Your present, Lyra."

"But… the necklace you got me in Ecruteak… wasn't that it?" she blinked, confused.

"No!" he laughed again. For some reason, Lyra was hurt. She thought that necklace he had given her back in Ecruteak had been her birthday present, that it had meant to be something more than just a random gift. "Well," he said after a minute. "I guess I should start as soon as possible."

"Okay. Bye," Lyra mumbled, not looking at him anymore.

"See you-" he cut himself off by turning to her and kissing her for the first time in a while - and though both would never admit it, it was nice to have physical affection between them again. When they pulled away, he gave her a loving look that held promise in it. "Later."

"Bye," she wiggled her fingers at him in a love-struck attempt to wave.

Tesla literally growled, before hopping up and running at Silver. "I think I'll come with you and help you with picking something out." She grabbed onto his hand, walking extra close to him as he uncomfortably left the restaurant.

Lyra, though, didn't even notice or care at the moment. She sighed, swirling the straw in her cup. All of a sudden, a waiter brought a whole smorgasbord of breakfast foods to the table. "What is this?" she inquired, annoyed, at him.

"The food that one other girl ordered," he answered simply before walking away. Lyra was now awakened from her little fantasy, and was seething. Did Tesla even know how much it was going to cost?

"Why, that little-!"

* * *

"Agh," Silver groaned to himself. He was at the Lilycove Department Store, in the jewellery counter, looking around at the rings and tennis bracelets, wondering what Lyra would like. Really, he had no idea. He didn't even really know if Lyra liked jewellery! She seemed to have liked the ruby necklace he had gotten her before, and she wore it everywhere she went, but did that mean that she liked jewellery _as a whole_? It didn't seem so. "I wonder if… naah."

"Silver!" Tesla whined beside him.

"What?" he continued to look at the tennis bracelets.

"Can I come with you guys?"

"**WHAT**?" he turned to her, incredulous at to what she had actually just asked. "No, Tesla!"

"Why not?" she crossed her arms at him, pouting. "I can handle myself, but I would like some company, too, you know. Not to mention, we haven't completely caught up yet." She was leaning closer to him now.

"Look, Tesla," he put his hands up defensively. "Thanks, but no thanks. I have a girlfriend, and I like her _a lot_, and I'm not willing to let you continually hurt her like this."

"Whatever are you talking about?" she batted her eyelashes innocently.

"I'm not stupid," his red eyes narrowed at her. "I'm with Lyra, Tesla. Please, try to understand that. I'm sorry that you didn't get the chance to tell me how you felt first, but I genuinely like Lyra."

"Liking is a lot different from loving, though, Silver," she walked right up to him and took hold of his jacket flirtatiously. "I just want you to think about that one," she whispered into his ear sensually, her lips just barely touching his earlobe. When she pulled away, he breathed out shakily. She was right. Liking was a lot different than loving. And he may have liked Tesla at one point, four years beforehand when he was just barely thirteen, but that was old news and he was with Lyra now. She meant the world to him and nothing - no one - was going to make him give her up… right?

"I-" he turned away, stopped by his thoughts. Should he really be doing this? Even briefly be considering it over? Another part of his mind spoke up as well: it wouldn't be for that long. A week maybe, a month at max. And maybe this was just a passing fad with Tesla. Maybe she'd go back to normal like he remembered and stop acting like this around him. "Fine. Just for a week, though. No longer than that."

"Yes!" she pumped her hand in the air, before leaning in close once again. "You won't regret this, Silver." She pecked him on the cheek before he could push her away. And all he could think was, _oh, __**shit**_. If he wasn't if for it before, he was _definitely_ in for it now.

* * *

"Here," Ethan extended his arms. "Let me hold one of them." He was talking about Glaceon and Leafeon, both of whom Lyra was trying - _trying_ - to wash, both filthy dirty after playing in a muddy puddle in the park where Ethan and Lyra had gone to after finishing their breakfasts.

"No, no, it's fine, Ethan. I can handle it myself," she smiled at him thankfully.

"Just give me one, and you can do the other," he offered once again. He was just trying to make it a little easier for her, after all.

Holding Glaceon down with one hand, she passed Leafeon over to him. "There."

Glaceon tried to jump up and out of the hotel bathtub once again, splashing water everywhere. "Blech!" Lyra spat out, water all over her face. "Glaceon, sit still! I thought you liked baths!"

"Well, the water is warm," Ethan noted. "And she's an ice-type. If I was her, Lyra, I wouldn't like water of any temperature except freezing cold."

Lyra beamed. "You're right!" She picked up Glaceon and set her on a towel. "Here, girl, just wait here for a bit. We'll wash your boyfriend first, then you."

"Her boyfriend?" Ethan cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Leafeon," Lyra giggled.

Ethan made an 'oh' shape with his a mouth, before he put Leafeon in the water. Lyra grabbed the Pokemon shampoo and squirted it onto the leaf on Leafeon's head. He shook it in disagreement at her, trying to get the shampoo off of it. "Hey, you're the one who went and played in the puddle," she chided him. Leafeon made a noise in protest at her, causing both her and Ethan to laugh.

Fifteen minutes later, Leafeon was all clean, sitting on the counter wrapped in a plush towel, sleeping. "Okay, Glaceon, come here," Lyra grabbed her Pokemon, which was still struggling about. With a little more work, she had Glaceon in the water. Next she grabbed the shampoo, but instead of getting it anywhere near Glaceon, it was squirted all over the bathtub, leaving bubbles flying all around and about everywhere but the spoiled Eeveelution. "Ugh, why are you being so difficult?" she demanded at the ice-type when she bit her. Glaceon normally wasn't like this!

"I wonder what's wrong with her?" Ethan voiced his thoughts. He took hold of Glaceon, and she began to purr.

"What the…?" Lyra trailed. Glaceon jumped up out of the tub and licked Ethan's nose then. Lyra giggled again.

"What?" he turned to her, holding Glaceon down a little to look at his friend. Glaceon was mewing at him, annoyed at being ignored for even a second.

"It's Glaceon, I think she likes you," Lyra pointed down at her Pokemon, who was nudging Ethan's hand which had been resting on the side of the bathtub.

"Huh? Wha-?" Ethan looked down at Glaceon, now licking his hand affectionately. He blinked at the ice Pokemon. "Hah, that tickles," he patted her head, smiling.

"Cute," Lyra placed a hand on her Pokemon's head on top of Ethan's. Glaceon became possessive then, and started to nip at Lyra's hand. She couldn't take her Pokemon seriously, and giggled down at her, which just made her that much more irritated. Ethan chuckled along, too.

"She's a good Pokemon," he said after a second. Glaceon peered up at him. "And a cute one, too," he winked at her, making her Glaceon mew in glee. Leafeon awoke at this and gave a jealous look to the boy before drifting off again. Glaceon was _his_, of course.

"Yeah," Lyra lowered her eyes and petted Glaceon, who had calmed down and was finally allowing her trainer to touch her once again. She placed her available hand beside Ethan's other hand on the tub rim. He stared down at it, before placing his hand on hers gently.

Lyra was surprised by his warm touch, and turned to him, his face burning up. "Ethan," she whispered at him, taking his other hand in her and lacing her fingers with his. Glaceon glared up at them, before pouncing up at Lyra, both falling over because Lyra was so unprepared. Then, out of nowhere, Leafeon jumped down onto Ethan's head, biting at his hair. "Glaceon!" Lyra laughed, swatting at her, bubbles flying up and out of the bathtub.

"Get off!" Ethan tried to grab hold of the jealous Leafeon. He finally grabbed hold of the fiesty grass-type, and holding him tightly under his arm, he stood up carefully and held a hand out to Lyra, who was propped up on her elbows, her hair wild and unruly from Glaceon nipping at it and her hat on the floor, soaking wet.

"Thanks," she took hold of his hand and allowed him to pull her up. She then took Leafeon from a thankful Ethan. "I think it's time for both of you to go back in your Pokeballs," she looked down disapprovingly at Glaceon who was now sitting prissily beside Ethan, licking her paw. She walked to the counter where said Pokeballs were sitting, and grabbing both, she pointed them at the two attitudinal Eeveelutions, sending them back into the contraptions. Placing the balls back onto the counter, she turned around and sighed. Ethan smiled at her relieved expression. Lyra began to walk over to him. "Thank Arce- Ah!" Then, she fell right down on her butt, arms flailing about, having slipped on some water. Rubbing her bottom, she looked up at Ethan, who, while looking genuinely worried, also couldn't conceal the goofy smile emerging on his face. For some reason, she was embarrassed out of her mind, and couldn't hide the blush she knew was beginning to form on her face.

Ethan bent down and gave her his hand again. "Grab on."

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she did, and instead of pulling herself up, she pulled him down with her. "That's for laughing at me!" Bubbles were now flying around again, and Lyra was popping them as she giggled at his surprised expression. He then, in playful vengeance, crawled over her and mussing up her hair even more than before.

"Hey!" she bent over and knocked his cap off, messing up his black hair in retaliation. Grinning evilly, Ethan sat up, took her in his arms, and placing his hands on her sides, he started to tickle her. He knew her weaknesses, after all, he was her best friend!

The pair continued to get wetter and wetter and giddier and giddier as they played around in the bubbles and water on the bathroom floor. Kicking and screaming, Lyra begged him to stop so she could at least breathe.

Ceasing his tickling, Lyra, completely out of breath, sprawled herself out beside him, laying on an outstretched arm of his. She turned to him suddenly, and he turned on his side to look at her, too. They were so close that each could feel the other's breath on their face, and Ethan swore that his heart was beating so loudly that Lyra could hear it. Raising a hand, he brushed a strand of loose hair out of her eyes. Lyra looked up at him, and noted how careful he was with her.

Her heart rushing and a blush on her face, she couldn't help but notice how close their lips were - or how close they were in general. And in the back of her mind, she also couldn't help but think how _wrong _this was. It was like she was disowning Silver even though they hadn't done anything of that sort… yet. She then surprised herself by pulling up her shirt so Ethan wouldn't notice the necklace that Silver had given her. It was like she was trying to erase anything that had to do with Silver right then - so that for just one second it could be _just_ her and Ethan again, like when they were kids.

Wrapping an arm around her, Ethan pulled her to his side and even closer. She rested her head on his chest. After a second, he spoke. "You know, I miss this, Lyra."

Lyra noted the sad sentimentality in his voice as he said this. And to be fair, she missed this, too. Being with him, and just him at that. And then he said something that crushed her. "No, actually, I don't." Wait, what? Turning on his side again, looking directly into her eyes, he began again. "No, Lyra," he shook his head. "I don't miss this. I miss _us_." His face flushed at how straightforward his was being about it all. He took hold of her hand.

"Ethan, I…" Lyra trailed purposefully, putting her other hand on his warm cheek. He smiled softly at her, before he began to lean in, slowly closing his eyes shut.

Lyra, despite herself and better judgement, did the exact same thing. But just as their lips were about to connect, common sense came to her, and prevented her from taking it any farther. Bolting up, she barely managed out, "U-um, I think Silver's gonna be back soon… and… and I don't think he should have to come back to this mess. I should clean it up." She hopped up, and taking the hotel's towels, began to mop up the water on the floor.

Ethan blinked up at her incredulously. What in the hell had just happened? Standing up and brushing the remaining bubbles off of his wet clothing, he gave her a look. "You could just call housekeeping, you know."

"No, no, no need to bother them," Lyra replied nervously.

"Then at least let me help you," he offered, bending down to take a towel from her.

"That's okay, Ethan. I can do it!" she laughed forcedly.

"Just let me help, please," he offered again.

"No, really, it's fine! Just leave, it's okay!" Lyra try to take the towel he had taken back.

"No, Lyra-"

Finally, she snapped. "Ethan! Please, just leave! I want to do this by myself!" She wasn't trying to be mean, she just had too much on her mind to really deal with anyone right then. "Please, Ethan." She looked almost desperate.

Sighing heavily, he dropped the towel into her hand before walking over to the door and opening it. He knew when he wasn't wanted, and obviously he wasn't right then. He walked to the front door of the room, slowly opening it and leaving, a distraught look planted on his face. Lyra noticed it and felt furious at herself for how nasty she had been - and was being - to him. "I'm sorry, Ethan," she apologized to him. "I'm so sorry." She had lead him on - this was her fault.

He said nothing, just shook his head before bolting down the hallway to his room, an arm covering his teary eyes. Lyra looked to the ground, ashamed of herself, after hearing him slam his door shut. When she finally shut her door completely, she slid down it, angry and frustrated tears falling down her face. She was beside herself; she was just digging a deeper hole for herself by doing this! And, deep down, she couldn't help but feel as though she was at the beginning of losing her best friend as well as her boyfriend if she didn't take control of the situation soon.

* * *

_Chapter three is finished!_

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I hope to finish chapter 4 either later today or tomorrow, and post it today or tomorrow, as well. Oh, and what with that big Ethan/Lyra moment, well, don't worry, SoulSilverShippers (moi)! This is still going to turn out a Silver/Lyra fic (duh, of course!), they're just going to have to go through some hardships first, though.

_'Til next time!_

_**Fooboo24**_


	4. Accusations of the Unfit to Deem

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokemon.

**Author's Notes:** Well, here is Chapter Four. And this denotes the start of the flood of cliche angst and fluff. Oh, how joyous.

* * *

_**Chapter 4 -** Accusations of the Unfit to Deem_

* * *

Lyra was laying on her and Silver's bed, her face feeling all gross because of the crying from earlier. She was just laying there, staring at the wall blankly, thoughts flying around every which way in her head, confusing her thoroughly. There was just too much going on, and her doubts were beginning to pile up. "Ugh," she exhaled to herself sluggishly, sitting up. She definitely wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

She suddenly heard the door click and then open, and in came an exhausted Silver. He walked over the bed and instead of flopping down onto it like she expected, he stayed at the edge of the side opposite to her.

"Um, hi," she said awkwardly.

He didn't say anything for a second. "…Hey."

"So," she turned around casually to face him.

"So…" he lowered his voice. "I… uh… told Tesla she could come with us."

"What?" Lyra spun around.

"It'll only be for a week," he held his hands up in his defense. "I promise. And then she'll be gone." Lyra was seething, but couldn't help but think about the Ethan incident.

"I… okay," she agreed. It was quiet for another long, awkward stretch of time. Lyra then found herself crawling over the bed to him. She hugged him, long and hard.

He stared up at her after a second. "What was that for?"

"I-I don't know," Lyra admitted. Everything was just so weird between them now. He looked away, before leaning in and going to kiss her. Both were surprised, though, when she pushed him away. "Not right now, Silver. I'm not in the mood."

He blinked incredulously, and grudgingly accepted her wishes. "Fine." He abruptly got up and stripped off all clothing except his boxers, crawling underneath the sheets and blankets.

Lyra already had on her pajamas, and awkwardly crawled in beside him. They both just laid there for what seemed like hours, staring into the dark nothingness of the night. Finally, Silver sighed loudly, before flipping over to stare at the wall as Lyra had. "Night, Lyra."

She said nothing, just turned to her own respective side, as well. Within minutes, Silver was snoring and asleep. She flipped over to face his back, and just stared at him. Hesitantly, she reached her hand up and placed it on his bare back and whispered, a tear sliding down her face, "I'm sorry."

Little did she know, though, Silver had heard her. And what she said left him awake all that night.

* * *

That morning, both Silver and Lyra packed up their things without saying a word to each other. All she said to him was, "I'm going to check-out," to which he responded with a nod.

Lyra checked out as she had said, before walking out of the lobby's doors. Turning her head and looking around, she saw Ethan sitting outside on a bench waiting for her. "Hey," she called to him softly before heading over to where he was sitting.

"Oh, um, hi," he mumbled. She frowned at him before, seating herself beside him.

"Ethan, I'm really sorry for what happened yesterday," Lyra sighed. "It shouldn't have gotten that far, and I'm sorry that I led you on. But Silver's my boyfriend and I want to stay to true to him and our promise of a serious relationship together. Can you understand that, for me?"

His eyes stayed fixed on the ground for a long while before he lifted his head, a sad smile on his face. He nodded. "For you, Lyra. It was a mistake, I understand. But I do mean what I said - I miss spending time with you."

"Well, now we're going to be together again," Lyra smiled back at him, taking his hand and squeezing it. At that, Silver exited the hotel, and turned to them, looking for Lyra. When he saw them holding hands, he sneered before walking up to them.

"Lyra," was all he said when he made his way to them. She barely acknowledged him, Ethan noted - which was strange, with how tight they had seemed just a few days before. He wondered if maybe Silver found out about what had happened between him and Lyra the evening before…

"Silver," Lyra murmured back at that redhead. "Where's Tesla at?" she asked after a minute, jealousy hinting at her voice as she did so.

Silver gave another glance at their still-intertwined fingers and turning away with a broken, forlorn look, answered with, "She'll be down in a moment." Truthfully, he was just done trying to compare to the seemingly perfect Ethan - Lyra would have to make the final decision, anyway.

Lyra noticed his expression, and felt tears prick at her eyes. Was this what their relationship had been torn down to within just a few short days? If so, then-

"Hiiiiiii, guys!" trilled Tesla as she ran out of the front doors and to the three of them. She stood awfully close to Silver, wrapping her arm around his. Lyra's eyes glinted dangerously. "If we're all ready, then I think we should go! Get an early start!" She then looked between Lyra and Silver, all while trying to hide an evil smile. "Oh, what's wrong with you two?" she inquired with fake sympathy.

Lyra's brown eyes and Silver's red eyes connected at that, but then jolted out of contact again as though they had both been hit by lightning. "Nothing," Silver grumbled, sticking a hand in his pocket before walking off, Tesla following beside him.

"Let's go, Ethan," Lyra let go of his hand limply before getting up and walking slowly behind the extra-quiet Silver and chattering Tesla. Ethan followed obediently, grabbing his bag and catching up to his depressed best friend. From that morning on until that night, was the small group perfectly silent but the constant chit-chat of the exasperating Tesla.

* * *

The four had set up camp halfway between Lilycove and Fortree. Ethan had successfully made dinner, and soon they were all eating around a roaring fire while sitting on some fallen logs. Lyra sat awkwardly beside Silver, nibbling here and there at her meal. Tesla's eyes were the same color as the fire as she glared at Lyra from across the fire pit, and Ethan, sensing the tension that was strung between them all, stayed quiet the entire time.

And then came the time for sorting out sleeping arrangements. Silver and Lyra were expected to share the same tent, but he opted out and told her that he would just sleep outside. After Ethan had gone to sleep and Tesla in her sleeping bag (after much yelling and protesting, she was not allowed to sleep beside Silver), Lyra popped out of her and Silver's tent to see him poking at the fire with a stick instead of in his sleeping bag, well, sleeping.

"Silver," she whispered. He didn't move. "Silver," she tried again. He still didn't, and she noticed that she was being purposely ignored. "Silver!" she whispered harshly.

He didn't turn to her. "What is it, Lyra?" She slowly crawled out of the tent, grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around her pajama-covered self. She made her way over to him, and sat down on the log. The young man had nothing but his boxers and his T-shirt on, and, though he tried to hide it, was shivering uncontrollably. Lyra frowned at his negligence of himself, and wrapped the remaining part of the blanket around him, which pulled the dysfunctional couple together tightly.

Eyes lowered to look at the embers, Lyra kissed his bare arm gently, causing him to shiver again, but more out of sexual tension than the cold of the night, before speaking. "Why don't you just come to bed? You can have the tent - I don't need it just because I'm a girl, you know."

"Just go to bed, Lyra. I'm fine," he replied back emotionlessly, though inside all he wanted to do was vent. But this was neither the time nor the place to.

"Silver, I… please," she begged, though she wasn't really sure what it was for anymore. "I don't want you to freeze out here."

"I won't," was his cold response.

"Yes, you will! You're already shaking!" Lyra pulled the blanket tighter around them. "Why are you so stubborn? Why can't you just-" She was cut off when he kissed her, pushing her to the ground. The blanket rolled off of them, but the heat that they were both equally emitting made up for it. But as soon as it had started, Silver ended it, and tears stung at Lyra's eyes for the umpteenth time, it seemed.

"Will you shut up if I do?" he growled at her. Lyra finally let the tears fall and she pushed him away aggressively.

Standing up and facing him, her eyes were glowering against the slowly dying fire. "You know what? If this is how you're going to be, then I think we should just finish whatever we _had _and go our separate ways," she snapped, tears falling down her face as she said this. It wasn't what she wanted to say or do, but the words had just come tumbling out of her mouth. But however much she didn't want to let Silver go, she was deadly serious of what she had said to him.

Silver's scowl disappeared at her threat, and his angrily clenched fists relaxed slightly. He knew she was serious, and secretly, he didn't want to lose her either. She meant more to him than he had ever let on, and to lose her would be devastating and probably push him to the brink. "Lyra…" he sighed, collapsing back onto the log, holding his face in his hands.

The angry pig-tailed girl wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and made her way over to her questionable boyfriend. She picked the blanket back up and wrapped it around them again. "I'm so sorry for how ignorant I've been," he said after a long silence, but he still did not look at her. "I-I… don't want to lose you, Lyra."

"But, Silver," Lyra whispered to him. "We can't keep this up. We can be on each other's cases constantly and still expect to have a good relationship after it all. I'm not saying that we should break-up… not at all. But I do think that we should take some time alone and rethink us being an item before we both end up hurting each other any further." And with that, Lyra pulled herself out of the blanket and wrapped it tightly around Silver as he stared up at her with wide eyes.

"Lyra, I said I'm sorry for everything that's happened. What else do you want from me?" he grasped her hand before she could walk away from him, intertwining their fingers so she couldn't pull away.

She shook her head sadly at him. "I don't want anything from you, Silver. Just take some time to think about what you want. Me or… her," she bent down and kissed him on the cheek. "Now, good-night, Silver. I'll see you tomorrow morning. And if you want - there's room in the tent."

"Lyra, please," he begged. "I know what I want - I want you and only you. I feel nothing for Tesla what I do for you!"

"But you don't know if what you feel for her is more than what you feel for me, and so that's why I want you to think," Lyra explained as she pulled her hand out of his grip.

He blinked at her. "Lyra, I don't _love _Tesla. I never have. I… I love you." Silver was amazed by what he had just said. He had never said those words to anyone and had never heard those words said to him, and so it was such a strange, but elating, newfound feeling for him to express.

Lyra halted herself when he said those three words. She just stood there, frozen by what he said. He loved her. Silver loved _her_. But he didn't mean them, did he? Of course not. It was just his desperation for her talking. Not even turning to him, she whispered shakily, "No, you don't. You're just saying that to make me stay. You're just confused by your conflicting feelings for Tesla. You don't know what you feel. So, _please_, Silver. Stop. I'm begging you, here. Just stop and think before you say anything more to me."

"What do I have to do to prove to you that I do love you?" he breathed, his voice breaking.

"Give up," Lyra whispered, squeezing her eyes shut to stop the new flow of tears in them. She made her way back to the tent and crawled in, crying as she did.

And with that, Silver fell back down on the log, tears falling from his own eyes now. Why was his life just so fucked up? Why couldn't it just go smoothly for once? He knew what he felt but Lyra didn't believe him. But maybe she was right. Maybe he didn't know what he really felt and he was just saying things. Maybe he did secretly love Tesla, but he just didn't know it yet. But only time would tell if these accusations and assumptions were correct.

* * *

_Chapter 4 is done!_

_

* * *

_**Author's Notes: **There are none. :P

_'Til next time!_

_**Fooboo24**_


	5. Mistakes and Their Consequences

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokemon.

_**

* * *

Chapter 5 -** Mistakes and Their Consequences_

* * *

Silver didn't have the heart to look at Lyra after everything that night, and so didn't accept her offer and join her in the tent. He, instead, thought over different ways that he could convince Lyra that he did in fact love her. But even he was having a hard time convincing himself now, what with all this self-doubt his girlfriend was creating for him.

But on top of that, it was Lyra's birthday that day. Great, just great. After lunch that day, he asked to speak to her privately.

She said nothing to him. He stood there, and after major consideration, leant in to kiss her. She would have pushed him away if she didn't want him so badly. Their relationship was just so screwed up - last night, they had been arguing and now they were kissing with extremely suppressed passion against a tree. What the hell was wrong with them?

"Lyra," he whispered against her lips. "I-"

She pulled away at that. "Don't say it. Don't say anything to me." She began to walk away, when he stopped her with what he said.

"How do I know if you don't love Ethan, if you can't accept the fact that I love you?" he hated saying this to her, and hated to think about the possibility of it even more. Was he just a consolation prize to her oldest friend? "How am I supposed to take your word for anything if you keep rejecting me like this and pushing me away, Lyra? Tell me that."

She turned to him, looking to the ground. "I-"

"Exactly," he cut her off, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Shut up!" she snapped at him. "You don't know anything! Ethan is just a friend to me and that's it!"

"But you're not 'just a friend' to him, if you haven't noticed," Silver pointed out.

"As if Tesla thinks of you as one," she countered back.

"I _know _how Tesla feels about me," Silver clarified. "But you're so damn high and mighty that, one, you can't even accept that I love you, and two, that Ethan is so obviously pining after you!"

Lyra was left speechless. He was right for once. She was being haughty about this all. But she wasn't about to let him know that! "That's because you don't and Ethan doesn't either!"

"You are _so _dense! What do I have to do - strip myself down and give myself to you right here for proof?" Silver snapped.

And Lyra was finally done. They'd been over _this _subject for what felt like a millionth time. She was sensitive about almost anything sexual beyond kissing, and Silver understood, even respected, that. She was still young, and didn't just want to give herself away so freely. They had talked about it on the boat trip there and how she wanted to wait, and so for Silver to bring it up so unexpectedly to use against her - Lyra just couldn't take it anymore. Her eyes began to blaze. "Like I'd ever make love to _you_," she spat at him.

Silver suddenly realized what he had said, but he was too angry at her to care. "You know, maybe you're right. Maybe we _should _spend some time apart, so you can snuggle up to your precious childhood lover." With balled fists and angry tears in his eyes, Silver stalked off at that.

Lyra was left standing there. Her head was spinning with many different thoughts. She was so angry and sad at Silver, yet all she wanted at the same time was for them to go back to when they were happy and could talk and kiss the day away like an air-headed movie couple. "Well, maybe I will!" she yelled her parting words at him, and wished she hadn't. He gave her a pained glance, before disappearing into the dark, muddy woods.

* * *

Lyra stomped back to the camp, crying. Tesla snickered while Ethan fussed over her. "Lyra, are you okay? What did that jerk do to you?" he questioned, running to her. She unzipped her tent and began to crawl in.

"He broke my heart, that's what," Lyra whispered, hoping he wouldn't hear her. But he had, and he embraced her against what Lyra wanted. She collapsed into his arms, sobbing nonsense to him about how she thought that Silver and her meant more to each other.

After an hour passed, with Tesla having gone off to find Silver, Ethan felt at the gift that had remained in his pocket for the last few days. It was meant for Lyra's birthday, and he wanted nothing more than to give it to her and tell her how he felt. "Lyra," he voice was almost silent. "Meet me at that rock a few minutes from here. I have something to tell you." She nodded slightly, allowing him to go off. She sat there, her head hurting and her heart aching for the redhead that made her so miserable yet so happy. All she wanted was for everything to just _end_. Little did she know, though, her life would, within the next passing hours, get that much more intolerable.

* * *

Silver had been wandering around the watery woods for hours now - he could tell because the sun was beginning to set. He felt at the ring in his pocket, it being for Lyra. He had been hoping to give it to Lyra that night, before all of the shit had taken place, but more than that, he was hoping to confess that he did love her, and very much at that. He wanted the confession to be more of her birthday present than the ring itself. But it'd already been said, and under terrible conditions.

He kicked a rock out of pure anger. All he wanted was for Lyra to realize that he really meant what he had said, how dear she was to him. It suddenly hit him at that. He'd left her alone, in such a fragile condition, with Ethan, on her birthday night. Maybe it was too late for him, maybe Ethan had finally gotten Lyra for himself. But just in case he hadn't… Silver felt his heart begin to swell. He _did _love Lyra, and he _didn't _love Tesla. And with a newfound hope, he began to run, pleading with the higher-ups that he wasn't too late.

* * *

Ethan and Lyra were now sitting alone on a rock not too far from the campsite. Ethan looked away and bit his lip, while Lyra sniffled and wiped a non-existent tear from her eye. Finally mustering up enough courage, Ethan turned to Lyra and took both of her hands in his, surprising her.

"Ethan, what are you doing?" she asked with a slight gasp.

"Ever since I first set eyes on Silver, I knew he wasn't right for you," he whispered to her softly, making her shiver uncomfortably. "And ever since we were little, I… I've felt this way about you, Lyra. I love you."

Her head was swirling. He loved her. No. Nononononono! She decided to bring up someone that they both hadn't seen in a long, long time. "What about Kris?" Lyra jogged both of their memories in an attempt to keep Ethan at a distance. "You guys were just so perfect for each other!"

"Yeah, but Kris left me behind. And because of it, I fell for you," Ethan explained, an almost desperate look on his face. "Please understand that, Lyra. You're the one I love, not her!" He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a little box. "And this is for you. Happy birthday, Lyra."

Lyra hesitantly opened it, and her heart picked up pace considerably when she saw its contents. It was his mother's engagement ring. Oh _no_. "If you can forget Silver and leave him behind, I want you to accept me. We can go off and just forget that you guys were even together. Besides, you two obviously haven't done anything serious yet." He retook her hands, squeezing them. "Once again, I love you. Please, say something."

But Lyra could barely breathe let alone think of anything to say. Silver was right about Ethan - what had happened in the bathroom hadn't just been a mistake. She thought back to Silver and how they weren't even officially broken up if she was to take this plunge. But was she going to take it? Was it possible that she could learn to think of Ethan as more than just a friend? Silver just meant so much to her, though. She didn't want to do anything to hurt him. Her decision was made when her mind decided to focus on only the bad things that had happened with Silver, though. When he told her that she didn't like him and that she was only just using him as an excuse for Ethan, and all the times he'd ignored her so blatantly for Tesla. And it was all finalized when Ethan leaned in and kissed her, and she didn't protest against it. But just as she was closing her eyes and allowing herself to accept what was happening, she heard from in front of her some shuffling and sharp inhalation. Her eyes flying open and pushing Ethan away, she saw Silver standing there, mouth gaping at them.

* * *

_Chapter 5... done!_


	6. Finding Us, However Hellish it May Be

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokemon.

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* * *

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_**Chapter 6 - **Finding Us, However Hellish it May Be_

* * *

"What the hell is this?" Silver snapped at Ethan and Lyra, trying to control his fluctuating emotions.

"S-Silver," Lyra breathed. "What are you doing here?"

"I was going to prove what I feel to you," he tried to prevent his voice from cracking. He couldn't afford to show any weakness at this moment. He had to stay strong for the sake of himself. "But I can now see that what I feel for you isn't as special as I thought it was to you. Or even reciprocated, at the least."

"Silver, that's not true. I-I'm just so confused," Lyra's eyes began to water as realization hit her. He did love her, and she loved him.

"Well, it's a little late for us to take anything back, isn't it?" he spat at her, feeling his eyes begin to tear up, too.

"No, Silver," she cried to him, slipping away from Ethan and to Silver. As though the situation couldn't get any worse on top of all of this drama, the sky began to rumble and pour rain. Lyra tried to take Silver's hand, but he slapped hers away despite just wanting to hold her in his arms right then.

Lyra looked at the ground, salty tears mixing with the rain. She sent a quick glance back at a distraught Ethan, who was holding his mother's ring in her hand. Silver caught sight of it and felt his temper rise again. But before he could express his anger once again, Lyra spoke first.

"I'm sorry that I can't keep our promise of staying together. I really am. But-" she breathed in deeply, reaching up to her neckline. "I-I can't do this anymore," she barely managed to choke out as the rain drenched her body. Shivering and crying, she slowly placed the ruby necklace into his hand. "I just… can't."

Silver forced himself to nod, clenching his fist around the necklace tightly before placing it into his pocket. The unshed tears of many days finally began to fall down his face. "Whatever," he snapped, covering his immense sadness with the extreme fury and jealousy he had bottled up. Lyra had betrayed him, and he had every right to be angry with her.

"I'm so sorry," she tried to hug him in the least, but he finally just turned around and re-entered the dark forest. She began to walk away in the opposite direction. She was so depressed that she was just on the border of hysteria. Ethan jumped up and began to follow her, but she told him off. "Not right now, Ethan. Please, just leave me alone," she cried to him. He looked like a little lost puppy when she said this, and this only made her more frustrated with herself, but he complied nonetheless. Lyra eventually found a little cave where she sat herself down and allowed herself to finally vent and bawl.

* * *

Silver was in an angry rage as he tromped through the forest. _Why_? That's all he wanted to know. Why did everything good in his life just end in such disaster? A shrill voice then cut through his thoughts, "Silver!"

It was none other than Tesla. He didn't feel like dealing with her right then, but as fate would have had it, they ran smack dab into each other. "Silver!" she grinned at him darkly.

"Leave me the hell alone, Tesla. I am in no mood," he shoved past her and to a small clearing with a stump where he could sit at.

"What did I do?" she growled at him, becoming annoyed. She followed him, and seeing the necklace hanging out of his pocket, she smiled evilly herself. "So she finally dumped ya, huh?"

"Shut up," he hissed at her, slumping down on the stump, exhausted.

"I saw it coming, you know," she boasted. "She only had eyes for that little dork of hers. You meant nothing to her, I could see it."

Silver felt the tears re-emerge. "I said shut up!" he shouted at her.

"Make me, Silver," she bent down and breathed into ear huskily, licking the lobe of it. It sent unpleasant shivers down his spine. She then straddled him, getting way too close for comfort. "You know that she probably secretly hated you, right? After all the things that you did to her, how could she not?"

Silver looked away, ashamed of himself. He was just so done and frustrated and blinded by his conflicting emotions towards Lyra that he couldn't think straight, and so he was believing every little lie Tesla was telling him. "You probably meant nothing to her. But unlike her, you mean the world to me," she gripped his shirt, a lustful glint in her leering eyes.

"I told you to shut the hell up! I love her!" he threw Tesla to the ground, but she still didn't get the hint. Her eyes flashed at his admittance to his loving Lyra.

"You know you want me. You know you want to do this," she unbuttoned his shirt slowly. "So just forget about her… let your anger take control - let it lead you like the old Silver would have." And Silver being stupid, did exactly what she said. He fell for her trap, and let his sexual tension over Lyra and his anger at being cheated on take control of him. He grabbed Tesla harshly by the shoulders, smashing her face into his. This only made her smile sickly. Finally she managed to throw his shirt off to the side, and began to work on his pants while he ripped at her soaked jacket. Was he really go to do this to Lyra? Betray her, like she did him? But this was so much more than what Lyra had done… she hadn't taken it this far with Ethan. But at the reminder of her and Ethan, Silver's fury took full control, and before he knew it, he was stark-naked and there was no going back.

* * *

"I love him so, so much," Lyra cried uncontrollably against a rock.

"Love, love, _loooovvee_," the cave echoed. She only sobbed harder at that. Over the impossibly long amount of time she had been there, the storm had gotten so bad that it was impossible to see through the sheets of rain and the lightning was too blinding and the thunder too loud. Her cries for Silver were left unheard to even herself as the thunder cackled once again. She snivelled and rubbed her hands up and down her arms, shivering. It was freezing in there! She began to tremble violently, and her never-ending tears weren't helping any. She fell to the ground in a desperate attempt to keep warm. Suddenly, her vision began to blur as the cold gripped her body. And then it all went black.

* * *

Silver couldn't believe what he had just gone and done. It was the ultimate form of betrayal… but were he and Lyra even still together? He couldn't tell anymore. He threw on his cold and wet clothes, wiping his drenched red hair out of his eyes. Tesla grinned up at him. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

He glared at her. "If you say anything to Lyra, I swear…""I thought you two were over," Tesla crossed her arms over her bare chest.

Silver said nothing, before leaving her there and walking away. She only laughed behind him. "I thought so," she retorted. He ignored her.

He wandered around, pushing branches out of his way as he did so. He was going to try his best to find camp again, but that was going to be difficult with the headache he had and the rain. But he still had to try - especially if it meant getting away from that witch Tesla.

* * *

Ethan was standing under a large tree with his and Lyra's things under it with him. He was worried about Lyra and wondered where she was at and if she was okay. Suddenly, from behind him, he saw the flustered redhead that was Silver emerge from the depths of dark trees.

"What are you doing here?" he crossed his arms accusingly at him, narrowing his eyes in an attempt to appear threatening to the thoroughly peeved Silver.

Silver just scoffed at him. "Trying to get back here. Nice to see that you salvaged _everyone's _stuff," he eyed Ethan and Lyra's backpacks, which were sitting on the soggy ground beside Ethan's leg, while his things were out in the pouring rain.

"Where's Lyra?" Ethan asked after a second, ignoring Silver's comment as worry began to rise as lightning struck a tree not far from them.

Silver stiffened. "I thought she'd be here with you."

"Obviously she's not!" Ethan panicked. "Oh no… she _can't_ be out there all alone by herself…"

"Why not?" Silver frowned.

"She's afraid of thunder storms," Ethan stated simply. "She can't think properly in one. Her brain just kind of shuts down and she freaks." Lightning struck again, even closer than before. Silver's heart began to race. Lyra was out there all alone, and it was all his fault. His heartstrings were tugged at the thought of something dangerous happening to her and if she got hurt because of it. Pulling the sleeves of his jacket up his arms, he began to stomp off into the rain again and away from the shelter of the tree. "What are you _doing_?" Ethan shouted at him, his voice disbelieving.

"I'm going to find Lyra, stay here and look after everything," Silver told him quickly, before disappearing once again into the trees before Ethan could protest.

* * *

Lyra shivered once again. It was just so damn cold and she didn't know what was going on anymore. All she wanted was Silver and that was it. But he was gone now from her grasp… just like that. Everything hurt at the thought that he'd gone off to Tesla to vent. She squeezed her eyes shut and allowed further tears to fall, and she wondered slightly, as the thunder cracked in the distance and she squirmed away, if she was going to die there. It seemed plausible enough - she was so cold she swore she had hypothermia and she just didn't have the drive or heart to go on anymore. So, would it really matter if it all ended right there? She just didn't know, and her sleep-demanding eyes finally fluttered shut at that.

* * *

"Lyra! Lyra, where are you?" Silver called out hysterically to her. Of course, all he was answered with was the pitter-pattering of rain around him. The wind was now blowing harshly around him, sending leaves flying every which way. He sighed heavily, shoulders slumping. It was three in the morning and he was getting nowhere what with all of the rain paired with the fact that he was exhausted. But he couldn't give up yet. He _wouldn't _give up on her.

He tromped through the mushy dirt on the ground the best he could, and found a cave in which he could rest in not more than 20 feet away. He walked in slowly, hesitantly even, and gasped when he saw Lyra curled up beside a rock, motionless.

"Lyra!" he cried, falling to her side. She still wasn't moving. He grabbed her shoulder, shaking it violently in an attempt to awaken her. "Wake-up!" She didn't even stir once. A certain sense of something shot threw Silver every time an attempt failed. It was the well-known feeling of desperation and loss on his part. These were two things that he knew much too well and, when he and Lyra had still been a couple, two things that he had been trying to forget. But now, in the spur of this awful moment, he felt as though he was losing her. He slid down the cave wall, holding her close, trying to keep her glacial cold skin as warm as he could. When she still didn't move, he began to talk to himself for comfort.

"Oh, Arceus, this is such a disaster…" he mumbled. "So much has happened, Lyra. And I just wish it would end and I wish that you could realize what I feel for you and how strong it is. That's all I want anymore. But I want you to be happy, as well. And you can't be happy with me, I can see that. You can only be happy with Ethan, and I have to accept that," he pulled a hand through her wet hair. He thought back to what he had done with Tesla just an hour beforehand. He was disgusted with both of them. He had been completely "pure" up until that moment, and he had been saving himself expressly for Lyra, as was she for him. But he had just been so frustrated by everything that he had given into his stupidity, and now all he felt was guilt. He knew that he didn't deserve Lyra, but that stop him from wanting her. He just wanted someone to love him back.

Lyra shivered after a long while of sitting there, but nonetheless had woken up, but Silver had dozed off in a silent fit of confused tears. She snuggled into him, but wasn't quite aware of what was going on. All she knew was that someone was there, holding her, and she felt better because of that. She clutched his wet shirt in her hands and was instantly content. It was just what Silver did to her - he just made her feel better in the worst of situations. And then it hit Lyra - she was with Silver! Her eyes fluttered open, and despite herself, she kissed him. She just couldn't control her emotions!

Silver was arisen from his troubled slumber by her passionate kiss, and he felt all tension between them break free as he grabbed hold of her shoulders and held her flush against him. It was awkward when it ended though. Where were they supposed to go from here? Both figured it could only go up - or in other words, positively. "Silver," she shuddered. "We have to talk."

"Now's not really the time," he answered back simply. "We've gotta get back to the camp. From there we'll figure everything out." Silver tried to stand up, but he found that he just didn't have the strength to.

"Just stay with me here for tonight," Lyra took his hand in hers. "Please."

He tried to reason with her, "Lyra, we're soaking wet and it's freezing. We can't just stay here."

She defended her argument. "But neither of us can see through the rain out there and - actually, whatever. I'm not arguing with you. Leave if you want to, but I'm staying here whether you like it or not."

Silver gave her a incredulous look when she turned away from him. Like hell he was just going to leave her there! But she would stay strong in her choice, "Fine, we'll stay." He wrapped his arms around her after ditching his soaked, cold jacket. She reluctantly cuddled up to him, and both fell asleep until the next morning…

* * *

_Chapter 6 is finished... only one more chapter to go!_


	7. New Beginnings Together

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokemon.

**Author's Notes: **Last chapter of this insert in the SoulSilverShipping series thing I am doing.

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Chapter 7 -** New Beginnings Together_

* * *

The next morning, with much, much difficulty, did they made their way back to the camp. Lyra instantly secluded herself from the two men who both claimed to love her. She sat in her slightly wet tent and just stared into the nothingness, thinking. She really just needed to talk things over with Silver before this journey went ahead any further. Crawling out, she beckoned him to join her so they could talk.

"Hey," he whispered to her softly. "How are you doing?" He ran a hand up her arm gingerly.

She shivered pleasantly at his touch. "Pretty good, actually," she answered with a slight smile. Biting her lip, she turned to him. "We really need to talk."

"I'll say," he scooted a little closer to her.

She reluctantly pushed him away. "No, seriously, Silver. We have to talk about what happened last night and if we're going to continue our relationship."

"Fine," he sighed. "Where should we start, then? Because I, quite frankly, have no idea where to begin. Just so much stuff has happened…"

"I think we should go into the finer details of last night," she offered quietly.

"Either way we're going to have to cover it," Silver shrugged. "What do you think?"

"What I _know _that it was all a mistake, Silver," Lyra told him. "It was just a spur of the moment thing. I don't like Ethan that way. I was just angry about what was happening with us and it lead to this whole big mess."

"Can… can I take your word for that?" Silver asked her whisperingly.

"Only if you want to," Lyra answered. "I don't want to force you to believe anything."

He nodded at her. He remembered what had happened with the dreaded Tesla, and wondered if he should bring it up. But if he ever wanted another chance with Lyra, he knew he shouldn't. "And what I want you to understand is that nothing happened with Tesla and nothing is ever going to," he lied, trying not to let guilt overtake his words. Lyra seemed to buy it. This time, she moved closer towards him.

"I believe you. I mean… this entire time, I was taking everything out on you and calling you the liar, even when you were right about Ethan. But I trust you-" she placed her hand on top of his. "-to tell the truth." He looked away from her, but she pulled his face back to hers with a finger. "And on top of that, I've come to realize something of my own," she started. There was a long pause. "That you really do love me," she kissed his cheek tenderly at that. "And we don't have to have a relationship together for me to know that I love you, too. I just really wanted you to know that."

Silver's head shot around at her confession. Someone loved him back! His heart pulsing, he fought the uncontrollable urge to kiss her right then and there. "And I know that what we have is really screwed up right now, but I'd, personally, like it to go somewhere," she told him, and a smile broke onto his face for the first time in a long while.

"So we're going to stay together?" Silver asked, his eyes bright and hopeful as he took her hands. But before she could even nod, Silver kissed her. It was nothing too passionate, but it was by far one of the most special ones they had ever shared. He proceeded to wrap an arm around her to bring her even closer. When they finally broke apart, his smile was still ever prominent and Lyra was blushing like old times.

"I kind of think you just answered your own question," she giggled at him, before pushing him onto the blanketed ground of the tent and kissing him again.

After a moment, he mumbled something against her mouth.

"What was that?" she asked him, pulling away.

"I love you," he told her with a soft smile. He intertwined their fingers. "And we're going to do this right, this time." She nodded, before biting her lip again. "What is it?"

"How am I supposed to break this to Ethan? He'll be heartbroken, Silver," she said with a frown, taking her hands back and folding them into her lap.

"We'll figure it out," he retook her hand and rubbed his thumb over it soothingly.

Lyra sighed heavily at the thought of breaking it to Ethan. Her eyes then wandered to her PokeGear, and she smiled to herself. "Actually, I may already have a solution…" she looked up at Silver. "But we need to go back to Lilycove."

* * *

A blue-haired girl wandered through the streets of Lilycove, having just flown from the faraway town of New Bark. "They said they would meet me right here," she huffed inwardly, sitting down on a nearby bench. The truth was, she was actually about ten minutes early herself.

"Kris!" she turned her head to see Lyra running at her after those impossibly long ten minutes passed. "Oh my Arceus, it has been way too long!" Lyra grinned as she hugged her friend.

"Too true, too true!" she laughed. "How have you been?"

"Great," the pig-tailed girl nodded. "It was a little rough at first, but everything's been sorted out. But I talked to Ethan - he really wants to see you again."

Kris' face flushed a bright pink. "R-really?"

"Yeah!" Lyra hooked her arm around Kris' and started yanking towards two young men - an indifferent Silver and a nervously blinking Ethan. When they approached the boys, she immediately pushed Ethan and Kris together. "Now, you guys haven't seen each other in a very long time, and I think you both have something to get off your chests. Well, I know Ethan does," she winked at the already flustered cap-wearer, but this sent him into a round of his own blushes. "So Silver and I are going to go off and celebrate my birthday properly, and you two are going to catch-up." Silver smiled at her persistence, before wrapping an arm around her.

"Now let's get going," he took his turn to embarrass Ethan. "These two love-birds need their time alone, and we're not giving them it by standing here." He ushered Lyra off, and when Ethan went to glare at him, he only winked friendlily. Ethan was left even more flustered, but nonetheless smiled before taking Kris' hand and walking off in the opposite direction of the other couple.

* * *

Silver and Lyra had finished dinner a half hour before, and were now walking around the serene, moon-covered park of Lilycove, hand in hand. They stopped on a bridge that connected both sides of the park, and just admired the seemingly glowing sea below them. Silver held Lyra, back first, against him, and they stayed perfectly still for the longest time. "This was very romantic," she kissed his knuckles lightly. "But we're going to have to get back to the hotel soon."

Silver just whispered, "I know." He reached down into his pocket where the ruby necklace still sat. It was more special than the ring he had ever was. He then pulled the silvery pendant out and slowly placed it around Lyra's neck. She gasped slightly when she looked down at it, and felt happy tears form in her eyes. "Happy belated birthday, Lyra. I love you." She turned and kissed him at that, and they stayed there on the bridge for another hour doing so before returning to the hotel, which was only a brief interruption before they started locking lips again. When Lyra pulled Silver onto the bed, though, he couldn't help but - reluctantly - halt their make-out session for a moment. "Are we really going to do this?" he asked, breathing heavily. "I thought you wanted to wait and-"

"I'm ready, I know I am," Lyra smiled at him, her eyes glittering at the care he was displaying for her. "I want to do this, I'm not forcing myself to, Silver. It's with the man I love. So don't feel guilty."

He sighed, relieved, before bringing her lips to his once again. This time, he was going to do it right, and with the woman he loved and who loved him back.

* * *

_Briinng! Briinng!_

Lyra's PokeGear was ringing like crazy on the nightstand beside her. She curled in her blankets, turning to Silver. She was just going to let the call go into her messaging. It rang a few more times, before beeping and allowing the message to record.

"Hey, Lyra," it was Ethan. "I know this is kind of sudden… but I'm going to go off with Kris… instead. I know I should have told you sooner, but I couldn't find you anywhere and your PokeGear was off all of last night, so I couldn't. Give me a call when you get the time. Bye… oh, and thank-you, Lyra, for arranging this meeting with Kris. You're really the best friend I could have ever asked for." Lyra smiled to herself. She was, wasn't she?

She flipped over to see Silver, who had his eyed fixed on her. "What are you looking at?" she turned away, blushing.

"How gorgeous you are," he smiled goofily, but genuinely, and twirled a lock of her hair in between his fingers.

She bit her lip, embarrassed at the topic she was about to bring up. "Last night was amazing," she commented quietly. She tried not to stare at his bare chest as she said this.

"I'll say," he pulled her close, kissing her nose. "I'm looking forward to next time already." Lyra blushed brightly. For a while, they just sat there, nuzzling each other affectionately and enjoying the intimate time they had left before they would have to leave town.

"Hey, Silver," she said after a moment of cuddling. He made a gesture that he was listening. "Ethan just phoned. He said he's going to travel around Hoenn with Kris instead. So…" she trailed, pressing their naked bodies together, causing Silver to blush furiously "…it's going to be just us now."

He kissed her again. "Good. I've got you all to myself now."

She slapped his arm lightly at his remark. He laughed. "Love you, Lyra," he kissed her, pushing her against her pillow gently as he did so.

Pushing his red hair out of his eyes, she stared into them deeply before leaning up and meeting his lips herself. "Love you, too, Silver." And with that one reassuring kiss and those few reassuring words, she knew that they were going to be all right, after all, so long as they were together in the midst of it all.

* * *

_Yet Another Cheesy Ending!_

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**Author's Notes:** So much damn cliché angst and fluff! Grr! I hate myself for it! :I I couldn't write anything original for the life of me. _All _I can do is write cheesy stuff anymore! Ugh!

Also, if you're wondering about Tesla, she ran off, leaving Silver and Lyra to reconcile - but just wait, she'll be back, and she's going to have a terrible surprise with her! Bwhaha! Yes, I am insinuating a threequel here (the last addition this SoulSilverShipping set… maybe). And also, I didn't write any of the lemon scenes for one, simple reason: I can't. I always make them out to be super awkward (in my mind), and so I don't write 'em, period.

'_Til next time!_

_**Fooboo24**_


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